Flour is a powdery ingredient usually made from grinding wheat, maize, rye, barley or rice. As…

1 tsp Marmite, if you have it in your storecupboard

Method

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and put the chicken in a roasting tin. Put the butter into a small bowl and add the herbs and plenty of seasoning. Grate in the zest from the lemon and mash everything together with the butter using a fork. Rub this over the chicken breasts, legs and wings, then push the whole grated lemon into the big cavity of the chicken. Pour half the stock into the tin. Use a large sheet of tin foil (or a couple of smaller pieces) to cover the chicken and scrunch together the foil along the edges of the tin so the whole thing is sealed. Put in the oven and set your timer for 2 hrs.

Carefully remove the foil from the chicken, increase oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7, and put the chicken back in for another 30 mins. If you’re making the Crunchy roast potatoes (see 'Goes well with'), put them in now, under the chicken. After 30 mins, take the chicken out of the oven and lift it onto a serving dish (move the potatoes up). Snugly cover the chicken with foil and set aside while you make the gravy.

Tip the chicken juices and stock from the tin into a jug. Put the tin over a medium heat on your hob and use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour and Marmite, if using, with a splash of the juices to make a paste. If you want, spoon the fat off the top of the chicken juices in the jug, then gradually stir this into the tin to make a smooth gravy. Add as much of the rest of the stock as you need to make a good gravy, then serve with the chicken.

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Comments, questions and tips

As it was Fathers Day I had the task of cooking dinner for my family. (No rest for father). The Chicken, Free Range and Organic. (Oh the cost, will stick to good quality Chicken in future). This was the first time I slow cooked a chicken. Did not add Lemon or the potatoes but sat chicken on a bed of carrots. (Cooks treat and to die for). The gravy I finished off in the pan using a branded jelly gravy pot, not stock pot along with the flour. Fabulously juicy and tasty chicken and fantastic gravy. This will be my standard roast from now on.

Didn't bother with the gravy, as I can make my own anyway, but the meat was delicious, moist and tasty. The lemon zest adds a subtle hint to the overall flavour. Would use this recipe again.

alanjns

11th Mar, 2013

The chicken was very tender and delicious, the lemon and thyme flavour was very subtle - in fact my OH didn't even notice!! The flavours certainly come through in the gravy which I thought needed plenty of seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance it. The roast potatoes were very nice and crunchy and fell apart once I cut into them. I thickened the gravy with cornflour instead of regular flour and I think the flour sprinkled over the roast potatoes was unnecessary, there was a slight floury taste. Overall, really nice and I will make again with a few adaptations.

denisechavda

10th Mar, 2013

5.05

Best roast chicken ever,meat nice and juicy.

lizleicester

14th Oct, 2012

5.05

Popped this in the oven at a slightly lower temperature than stated, knowing that it was going to have to sit tight for 3 hours. On our return it was perfect. Increased temp to 200 while I did the gravy and it changed from pale and interesting to looking like a roast chicken should and certainly tasted wonderful.

flirtinflight

24th Mar, 2012

5.05

easy and delicious. My first time making my own gravy!

gisellepicillo

11th Sep, 2011

5.05

Forgot to rate the recipe, also wanted to mention the potatoes came out wonderful, nice and crunchy

gisellepicillo

11th Sep, 2011

5.05

Best roast chicken ever, so easy to put together once you get the timing of chicken, potatoes, and gravy down. The presentation looks great. I added 3 cloves of garlic into the cavity, and it comes out very nice, with a subtle hint of garlic. I also put the chicken tegether, save for the stock until I was ready to bake, into the fridge, which I think intensified the flavors into the chicken. This will be my go to chicken recipe for all occasions.

evelynjcooper

5th Jun, 2011

5.05

Fabulous! The potatoes turned out especially good.

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